Itβs Thursday, Boston.
π Hereβs a fun holiday to-do: Eight Boston buildings are going hard with decorations this season and you get to pick who sleighed (sorry). You can vote for your fav now through Dec. 18 by using QR codes posted in each lobby. Hereβs the full list of participating buildings.
π Whatβs on tap today:
Bostonβs wage gap changes
The best movies of 2023
Goats on the loose!
Up first...
12 DAYS OF B-SIDE
From drummer boys to βDie Hardβ

Image: Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
Welcome to day one of the 12 days of B-Side. For the next two-ish weeks, weβll be bringing you a slew of holiday-themed stories, covering everything from the best festive treats to navigating family drama during the holidays (fun!).Β
First up, our hand-picked list of holiday concerts and performances to satisfy both the Christmas caroling traditionalists and those who prefer the remix (see: Justin Bieberβs version of βThe Little Drummer Boyβ):Β
πΆ If youβre all about the classics β¦ Thereβs nothing more synonymous with Christmastime in Boston than the Boston Symphony Orchestraβs Holiday Pops. Led by conductor extraordinaire Keith Lockhart, the Holiday Pops are known for serenading audiences with upbeat arrangements of holiday tunes, sing-a-longs, surprise appearances from local celebs, and a visit from Santa Claus himself. Or, if youβre a firm believer that βDie Hardβ is a Christmas movie, The Huntingtonβs presentation of βYippee Ki Yayβ offers a fun and festive parody of the classic action flick.
π If you love a good story β¦ Langston Hughesβ βBlack Nativityβ is as iconic as they come. It tells the traditional Christmas story as found in the New Testament gospels, accompanied by energetic gospel music, dance, and African drums. But if you prefer a more secular storytelling experience, Front Porch Arts Collective is closing out its festive Family Recipes Reading Series with "Holiday Feast," featuring readings from Black sitcoms β227,β βGirlfriends,β and βLiving Single.β
π©° If youβre a sugar plum fairy stan β¦ You can get it three ways: The most classic is the Bostonβs Balletβs βThe Nutcrackerβ featuring beloved characters, glittering sets, and world-class ballerinas; the most relatable is βThe Urban Nutcracker,β a modern, multicultural remix showcasing a blend of ballet, tap, hip hop, flamenco, swing, and more; and perhaps the most unhinged of them all is βThe Slutcrackerβ at the Somerville Theatre, a sexy, fun, burlesque twist on the classic ballet. Think: Instead of Clara receiving a doll, she gets a vibrator!
π If youβre in it for the laughs β¦ Improv Asylumβs βTwas show uses the base of ββTwas The Night Before Christmasβ while letting audience members dictate other details in the story for a truly bespoke comedy performance; Gold Dust Orphansβ βThe Rocky Menorah Christmas Showβ parodies the cult classic by shipping all the characters off to the North Pole (and βthe villain is [U.S. Rep.] Marjorie Taylor Greeneβ); and legendary filmmaker John Waters is back this month with βA John Waters Christmas,β offering a unique (and NSFW) mix of standup and storytelling.Β
π Want more? Hereβs Boston.comβs full list of holiday concerts and shows to get you through the season.
QUICK QUESTION!
βGot holiday family drama?
Share your questions and problems about going home for the holidays with us (i.e. setting boundaries, avoiding sticky conversations, telling your fam youβre NOT coming home) and weβll ask an expert and feature the answers in an upcoming B-Side story!
Let us know below!
TOGETHER WITH SEAPORT
Come for the vibes, stay for the retail therapyΒ

π Shop βtil you drop at Bostonβs newest shopping oasis in Seaport. The Superette is a delightful European-style retail space offering more than 20 incredible experiences (with more to come) ranging from high-end fragrances to mind-blowing tacos. While youβre there, be sure to check out the latest fall scents at Aesop, discover your next pair of jeans at Rag & Bone, and prep for snowbird season at Faherty. The outdoor courtyard is open year-round and is continuously adding new experiences to offer perfect finds and little thrills.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Jenny Kane/Associated Press
πΈ Bostonβs wage gaps are changing. A new report by the Boston Womenβs Workforce Council found that Bostonβs gender wage gap is shrinking (by nine cents since 2021) and its racial wage gap is growing (by three cents in the same timeframe). Why? Itβs complicated, but COVID probably played a role in the changes, the Globe reports. The flexibility of remote work, healthcare work shortages, and federal funding benefitted many women, while increased health issues and caregiving demands hurt communities of colorsβ ability to work.
π Charlie Baker wants some D1 schools to start paying their athletes. Baker, the newest president of the NCAA (and Mass.β former Governor), unveiled a proposal that would allow big-money D1 schools to enter into a subdivision in which they could directly compensate their athletes through a trust fund. He also wants to allow all D1 schools to give their athletes unlimited educational benefits, and enter into NIL agreements with athletes. That said, the road to making this proposal a reality is long, and thereβs currently no timetable to get there.
π The first night of Hanukkah is here! And if you want to celebrate, there are plenty of places to head to tonight, Dec. 7. For a party vibe, the MFA is holding a big celebration of Hanukkah (with $5 pay-what-you-wish admission starting at 5 p.m.) including performances, treats, and, of course, art. Plus, Arsenal Yards is holding a public menorah lighting and celebration with live music, fire dancing, and free treats. Or, hit up a more classic menorah lighting on Boston Common. And if you canβt make it tonight, thereβs another lighting in the Seaport on Dec. 10. Chag sameach!
π₯ The best movie of 2023 goes to β¦ βPast Livesβ by Celine Song! Or, it does in Globe film critic Odie Hendersonβs book, anyway. He just released his top ten movies of 2023 list, and thereβs a little something for everyone. The listβs box-office hits, like βBarbieβ and βAir,β sit alongside flicks you might not have seen yet, like βYou Hurt My Feelings,β a rom com starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, or βAnatomy of a Fall,β a courtroom drama slash murder mystery. Read the whole list here.
ONE LAST THING
Bostonβs β¦ goat problem?

Image courtesy of 311 Boston. Illustration by Gia Orsino.
Can you imagine a goat roaming the streets of Boston? Us neither, but that didnβt stop one Bostonian from trolling Boston 311 β a service line residents can use to report problems like overflowing trash or graffiti β with three fake reports of goat sightings in the city.Β
The perp used what looks like AI-generated images alongside self-edited photos of goats in various parts of the city (you should seriously look at them, theyβre so odd) and submitted them to the line with complaints like: βKind of weird, but thereβs a legit goat wandering around β¦ someone must have left it β but itβs wet and smelly.β
Although itβs unclear what Boston 311 thought of the prank, they did close all three tickets, noting βno signs of goatsβ on one. At least theyβre thorough!Β
β Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
π Thanks for reading! So often, writing these one last things, Iβm left sitting at my desk, just wondering: why? This is one of those moments.
π Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Seaport, for supporting local businesses and community journalism.Β
π The results are in. 31% of B-Side readers think the worst holiday gift is clothes you donβt like, just edging out a gift you canβt return. One reader said: βI feel awful because I know they want to see me in them, but I just canβt!β
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].